Silent film star Barbara La Marr’s funeral attracts large crowd

Following several years of fast-paced Hollywood night life, popular silent film star Barbara La Marr passed away at age 29 on Jan. 30, 1926.

An article in the Feb. 6, 1926, Los Angeles Times reported:

Several thousand persons fought desperately with police reserves yesterday afternoon in front of the Walter C. Blue Undertaking Chapel, 717 West Washington street, for a view of the casket of Barbara La Marr as it was carried from the chapel for the trip to its last resting place in Hollywood Cemetery.

Five women fainted during the melee and were rescued from being trampled upon only through the strenuous efforts of police officers.

As Miss La Marr’s remains were placed in the hearse, the crowd broke all restraint and rushed about the funeral cortege.

Traffic along West Washington street was tied up for more than fifteen minutes while police attempted to restore order.

Many hundreds rushed into the funeral parlor, although all objects of attraction to the morbid had been removed, even to the last floral wreath…

November 1925: Actress Barbara La Marr, frail and ill, at right, in her bed in Altadena. This photo was published in the Nov. 10, 1925, Los Angeles Times. Photo on left is a studio handout. Credit: Los Angeles Times file photos.

The right photo in the above two-photo combo accompanied an article in the Nov. 10, 1925, Los Angeles Times reporting:

“Hello, everybody! I’m getting better …I’ll be all right pretty soon.” This from Barbara La Marr to her friends. But it isn’t from the Barbara who was the siren of the silver screen. It’s from a Barbara, even more lovely and beautiful and charming, although she lies frail and broken on a bed of pain…

Only a couple of months ago, Barbara La Marr, exotic and alluring, was in the stardom of the motion-picture world. She bore her twenty-nine years lightly. Two thousand dollars a week was the salary she commanded…

For more check out this Barbara La Marr article on the Los Angeles Times Hollywood Star Walk.